Overview of Proposed Water Rate Increase - phila.gov

1 3/23/2018We Are HereNew rates reflected in your billSeptember 2018 Decision from Water Rate BoardJuly 2018 Public Comments, outreach, and hearingsMarch April 2018 WHEN: A TIMELINE FOR WHAT TO EXPECTP roposal to Increase ratesWhat is the Water Rate Board? The Rate Board is independent of PWD and ultimately responsible for setting and regulating rates and charges for Water and sewer services. PWD will propose a rate Increase to the board. of Proposed Water Rate IncreaseWhy the Increase in rates? The money raised from rate increases helps us continue to provide our core services to the people of Philadelphia. We don t profit from rate MUCH WOULD A TYPICAL MONTHLY Water BILL Increase ?We re proposing a rate Increase , spread over three years, beginning in September 2018. $ + . %September 2018 CurrentTypical Bill$ $ + 2019$ + 2020 These typical bills represent people who have a 5/8 Water meter and use 500 cubic feet of Water (3,740 gallons) per month.

2 Differences in Water usage will result in higher or lower charges. ?W H AT WILL THE RATE Increase PAY FOR?We do everything possible to keep our rates flat, but some costs are rising. Increased expenses in the components that allow us to guarantee safe and reliable Water : We are managing the costs of federal laws that require protection of Water sources against stormwater pollution from sewage overflows and runoff to achieve fishable, swimmable, clean & beautiful rivers and to deliver drinking Water and manage wastewater and stormwaterPeople to keep our facilities and services running 24/7 Plants to make top quality drinking Water & protect public health 3/23/2018 Usage ChartDon t ignore the usage chart! Any estimated usage could lead to unexpectedly high bills in the future!The current typical monthly bill of $ covers four charges: Water Access CodeWater Access CodeA unique, nine-digit number on your bill, which can easily identify you whether you are applying for assistance or calling about your : The average Philadelphia household uses about 500 cubic feet (nearly 3,740 gallons) of top-quality Water : We treat what you flush down the drain and toilet to keep the Water supply : Managing runoff (rain and melting snow) that flows from properties into sewers and waterways, as required by : Billing and collection services, metering, pollution prevention does a typical monthly bill pay for?

3 KNOW YOUR BILL BETTER 3/23/2018 OUR GUARANTEE FOR SAFE AND RELIABLE WATERMONITORING Water FROM SOURCE TO YOUR TAPWe work with partners to maintain an extensive network of gauges and monitoring tools to study Water quality. Data is rigorously reviewed and used by our scientists, engineers and Your Health and SafetySafe, high-quality Water from source to hour of every day, we work to provide you with safe, reliable service and Water you can IN PARTNERSHIPS & TECHPIPES, PLANTS, and PEOPLE make top quality drinking Water possible. Our investment strategy anticipates ongoing and future infrastructure needs to maintain and improve system reliability and meet all health and safety THE NUMBERS2,000+Employees devoted to keeping your Water safe 85 Water Monitoring Locations throughout Philadelphia2,500+Monthly tests done by our labs to ensure Water is safe & top quality40 Real-time Water quality monitoring instruments in our Surveillance and Response SystemTOP-RATED ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONThe National Association of Clean Water Agencies ranks our Water Pollution Control Plants Platinum, a distinction earned by achieving perfect federal compliance five or more years in a Valley Early Warning System (EWS)

4 We joined federal, state and private partners to create the Delaware Valley Early Warning System, an emergency communication tool that protects our drinking Water using a rapid notification process that allows for a quick response to events that could impact Water quality. This high-tech system is one of the many tools we use to ensure Philadelphia s residents, businesses, hospitals and more have uninterrupted access to high-quality WORKING FOR YOUS pecialized, state-of-the-art labs constantly test thousands of Water samples collected from our rivers, mains, treatment plants and more. Customers can even call us and request testing at their labs are constantly testing your Water at every step to ensure quality. 3/23/2018 OUR GUARANTEE FOR SAFE AND RELIABLE WATERM aintaining critical infrastructure through repairs, replacements, and major new usesscrubbing bubbles to clean filtersEvery business, organization and home in Philadelphia depends on around the clock access to Water and sewers.

5 Your bill makes that possible, and funds critical infrastructure every Park ReservoirNEW Water TANKSA $100 million investment in new Water tanks is ongoing at our East Park Reservoir. By the end of this year, two of three, 30-million gallon tanks will be finished, enhancing Water quality and reliable Water FILTER TECHNOLOGY We tested and adopted air scour filter cleaning technology at the Queen Lane drinking Water plant, to achieve the following benefits: Saves energy and Water Improves lifespan of filters Reduces maintenance costsEAST FALLS MAIN REPLACEMENTB ills funded a massive project installing 4,400 feet more than four Comcast Center buildings of new Water mains. This protects the East Falls neighborhood and makes Water delivery more reliable Main Replacement in East FallsKeeping Your City s Water Running 380 City blocks targeted for Water main replacement in the upcoming year715 Water main breaks repaired in our most recent fiscal of Water mains and pipes inspected in 2017+$188mBudgeted through 2021 to replace pipes and mains bringing you waterBY THE NUMBERS 3/23/2018 OUR GUARANTEE FOR SAFE AND RELIABLE WATERA dvanced Metering Infrastructure Initiative (AMI)New technology citywide will provide you with real-time Water use data and help detect leaks.

6 This major initiative to update meters kicks off in 2018 and will also help us identify homes with lead service technology to make all customer interactions the best they can customers are our top priority. Our pledge is to operate efficiently, effectively and with care. We re improving through smart spending, technology, assistance programs and listening to customer + EXPANDED ASSISTANCE Customers struggling to pay can now use one application to find the best program for them. The new Tiered Assistance Program (TAP) also helps more people afford TO CUSTOMERSR egular customer surveys let you tell us how we can better respond to construction project impacts, whether our assistance programs are working, and where we need to INVESTMENTSS implified Call Center ExperienceTo streamline your experience when reaching us, we merged the Water and Water Revenue call centers in 2017. You can now ask billing and service questions and make service requests by calling one Assistance Program (TAP)OutreachImproving Customer Service60,000 Households now eligible for more affordable Water bills through our new assistance programs150,000+Customer service calls handled by our 24/7 hotline in the last fiscal year 486,000 Approximate number of meters that will provide customers with real-time Water use data as AMI upgrade project kicks off in 20193,884 Responses to 2016 and 2017 Customer Satisfaction surveys, done so we can improve serviceBY THE NUMBERS 3/23/2018 OUR GUARANTEE FOR SAFE AND RELIABLE WATERWe are leading the way in improving waterways, protecting the environment, and planning for climate strategy and partnerships guide our organization.

7 We work with City, regional and federal partners to invest in reliable access to safe Water , healthy local waterways, and vibrant neighborhoods. LOOKING AHEADG iving Back for Cleaner WaterWe gave nearly $70 million back to our customers through grants to fund green improvements at 160 sites in neighborhoods around the city. Businesses, schools, faith-based groups and other commercial property owners worked with us through the Stormwater Management Incentives Program and Greened Acre Retrofit Program to develop green projects. These initiatives make our Water cleaner and help Philadelphia meet federal Clean Water Act mandates in a cost-effective City, Clean WatersWith more than 1,000 Greened Acres now in place, this nationally recognized program is a proven success. We are on track to reduce pollution from stormwater and sewer overflows the biggest local threat to Water quality by 85 percent and are working with City and private partners to make neighborhoods for a Healthy, Sustainable FutureBY THE NUMBERS+$ investment in infrastructure through 2021 to protect your Water and health+$228mIn Water Pollution Control Plant improvements through 2021+$173mTo replace and repair aging sewers through gallons of stormwater and sewer overflow removed from our waterways annually by green infrastructure and related improvements made since 2011 PLANNING FOR climate IMPACTSC limate change impacts pose a significant challenge.

8 Our new climate change Adaptation Program studies climate change impacts on drinking Water , wastewater and stormwater systems and seeks cost-effective adaptation ENERGY POLICYTo reduce energy costs and support citywide greenhouse gas reduction targets, we collect biogas from wastewater and use it to power our plants. The City would have to take 6,400 passenger vehicles off the road for one year to match the fossil fuel emissions we offset by collecting and using biogas created by s Hospital of Philadelphia worked with PWD, pioneering green stormwater management.